A New Sash

“Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” Matthew 5:3-9

These are some of the beatitudes that Jesus proclaimed would bring blessings once we develop these attitudes of the heart. If it was important enough for him to say it is imperative that we live it out while on this earth. These exhorts do not return empty to us but usher in blessings when our heart is aligned with the beatitudes while dealing with the circumstances of life.

This weekend was an emotional roller coaster overflowing with the ‘circumstances of life.’ Our daughter was invited many months ago to participate in a local pageant which would give her a platform for Alzheimer’s, a cause close to her heart. She worked hard and stepped out of her comfort zone. She showed her children courage to do something beyond the norm. The night of the pageant was this past Saturday and the auditorium was full and she was beautiful. She completely commanded the stage every time she stepped upon it and at the end of the evening was crowned queen. But a string of events occurred that prompted a recount and a mistake was found. She was called yesterday morning and was informed that she was first runner up and they would need to gather the sash and the crown. The grace that she exuded and the strength in which she responded was nothing short of these beatitudes. What she did on Sunday was no different than how she lives her life Monday through Saturday. But we live in the flesh, with hearts needing comforting and emotions needing the settling of the Holy Spirit.

Today is her birthday and I know that what she will receive from laying down her crown in grace and courage is so much more than what she would have received while wearing it. Her children have learned important principles this weekend. They learned that it takes courage and faith to step out in the unknown, and they learned that it takes grace to except what life brings. And then they learned about comfort and love as they watched the gentle exchange between a woman who needed comforting and a man whose arms were ready for the task at hand. Yesterday was a rough day for the family but God is bigger than our roughest days. We don’t understand why this had to happen but it is times like this when we have no choice but to believe that everything works for our good once we love God. We must believe that God is a good Father even when things don’t feel good. Faith is remembering that God is still love when bad things happen to us.

Our family couldn’t be prouder, and she will continue to pursue her work in the Alzheimer’s community. Those precious people who wear their own type of crown will continue to know her as their Queen. Happy birthday our sweet Kristen. You will never know the people you impacted this weekend not by Saturday’s queen but Sunday’s queen. The sash you wear is Mrs. Proverbs 31, 2018.

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. Honor her for all she has done.” Proverbs 31:25-31

Gone Fishing

“Going on from there, he saw two brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father…preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat…and followed him.” Matthew 4:21-22

The danger with being familiar with Bible stories is that we frequently become too comfortable with their overriding message. Something about this story today makes me want to sneak down to the shore close enough to hear the conversation between these two brothers and their dad. No doubt their father had taught them how to fish. No doubt there had been times when they were fooling around and needed a gentle reminder that fishing was a serious business. It had been their life as children…as teens…and now as adults. So, I can only imagine when they looked up and heard a stranger standing close by calling to them, interrupting their work. What on earth did Jesus say to them that made them drop everything and abandon their responsibilities? We can assume that Jesus said the same thing He previously said to the other fishermen before the brothers. ‘Follow me…and I will make you fish for people.’ Matthew 4:19. What was the response of their dad as he was left  holding the nets and watching his boys follow a stranger? I would love to hear the exchange between the siblings and parent.

I remember a time when my dad owned a moving company. The company was located at Hartsville, SC and took about an hour to get there from Lancaster. Most of the moving jobs were in that area, and the town was full of were very old homes. My sister Becki and I worked for Daddy one summer as teenagers and frequently were up in the hot attics going through old things. We would wrap whatever was up there and make up stories about the treasures. The people would leave piles for us to discard, and I would take many of their old ‘treasures’ home to give to Mother (your are welcome). Daddy would catch us fooling around and remind us that these things were someone else’s property. I can’t even begin to comprehend a stranger popping his head in one of those homes and telling me and my sister to lay down our boxes and go with him. This is the reality of what happened with the disciples.

I was thinking about what I was doing when Jesus called out to me in 2006. How was I preparing my net, and what had I been fishing for all those years leading up to that moment? I realize now that my net was my image, and the big fish I wanted to land was acceptance and approval from all the other women. I never did catch that big fish, and I’m glad that I didn’t because it would have cost me something greater than my net could handle. My net would have been prepared with compromise and pride, and my yield would have never satisfied me. It was all a smelly business with no gain.  I’m so grateful that like these brothers, Jesus interrupted my life and has shown me the net He has prepared for me. My net is my writing, and He determines the yield who enter the net...and I'm grateful for that and humbled by that reality.  I’m so blessed to the tell the story of a Stranger who met me at the shore, called me to lay down my net and follow Him. It is the sweetest interruption to my life I have ever had.  My preacher stated a beautiful truth last week in church. He said that ‘Jesus interrupts our story, so we can tell His story.’ Talbot Davis.

So, as you go through your beautiful life today, prepare your net by inviting Jesus to join you and He will show you in which bodies of water you can catch the yield He has for you.

“But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” Luke 5:5

Highway #7

“When Job’s…friends…heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out…to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance…they began to weep aloud…Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.” Job 2:11-13

The number seven is one of the most significant numbers of the Bible because it is the number of spiritual perfection. It is the number which is stamped on every work of God. It is no surprise that this passage includes that number. Job’s friends, while they were not perfect, sat with him in the greatest despair of his life. They didn’t shy away from his tears…from his pain…from his despair. They joined him in his suffering and remained with him in spirit until its completion… the moment God restored everything in spiritual perfection.

A while back I experienced one of the most gut wrenching and painful seasons of my life. I just thought I knew pain up until that point and had never felt the level of loneliness until that time. There was a handful of people who continuously made time to check on me…comfort and encourage me. Many times, it was through a text and the only sound was the notification chime, but the words spoke life. Other times I would hear their voice on the other end of my phone, giving expression to my pain. Sometimes, we would be together and would simply sit in silence. I knew they were praying for my sorrow and were willing to sit with me in that awkward and uncomfortable season. I know that God hand chose this little team of people to take my hand and walk with me until it’s spiritual completion… ‘to sit with me on the ground for 7 days and 7 nights.’

We all have times where all the wheels fall off the wagon, and we feel stranded in our circumstances. It is a time when God sends those saints to minister to us and help carry us through those situations. It is so tempting to isolate…insulate…medicate but those aren’t the sustaining mercies of the Lord. King Solomon once wrote ‘Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their efforts: For if either falls his companion can lift him up…And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.’ Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

I pray that each of us thank God for our strand, those beautiful people who walk beside us through difficult times and love us right up until the season changes from winter to spring. Whether we are the strand, or the stranded God stamps on our hearts the hope to give or the hope to receive. Trust in God and trust in the road He has laid before you. Your #7 is up ahead.

"...and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels." 2 Thessalonians 1:7

Disarming Evil

“It is rare indeed for anyone to die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:7-8

Last weekend a man walked into a Waffle House in Nashville, Tennessee and opened fire on the customers and workers. I watched an interview of the hero who risked his life to apprehend the shooter while he was reloading. This young man had a daughter at home, and regardless of the sacrifice he was willing to lay down the circumstances of his own life to save both strangers and friends with whom he worked at the Waffle House. When described as a hero, he dismissed the title and said he just wanted to minimize the suffering for families. He not only stopped additional suffering by disarming the man, but he started a Go Fund Me page for the families of those who were killed and those injured. What a remarkable young man and what an incredible story. After watching this interview and understanding the circumstances this passage came to mind.

It helps paint a beautiful picture of what Christ did for all of us. He threw His body in front of the shooter…Satan…to save you and to save me. He minimized the suffering by disarming sin, so believers could live in eternity and be reunited with their loved ones. But the most incredible part is what Christ did as it relates to our hero in Nashville. Christ not only took the bullet for strangers and His friends, but He laid down His life also for the shooter. It would be like our hero risking his life for those innocent people in the Waffle House and then taking the bullet for the shooter as the police shot at him.

Rare indeed but that is the commandment we are all given…to love one another, laying down our life for others. I doubt many of us will find ourselves in situations like Nashville, but we can lay down our lives in other ways. We can show grace where grace isn’t deserved. We can forgive when there has been no apology. We can give a few dollars when our bank account is low. We can serve others who are less fortunate. We can lay down our own entitlements and judgment.

All we must do is lift our eyes off our own interests, look around and see the millions of places in which we can make small differences in the lives of hurting people. After all, it is the least we can do for the most sacrificial act that was ever done on our behalf…the very least.

Walking Like a Turkey

“He satisfies you with good things; your youth is renewed like the eagle.” Psalm 103:5

The eagle is the most majestic bird in the sky, but in the life of every eagle, they will go through a molting process that can bring with it a great depression. This is a wilderness time that all eagles will face. During this great depression the eagle will walk like a turkey being too weak to fly. The molting eagle finds himself in the valley with its feathers falling out. They lose their ability to see, as their vision weakens during this time. When the molting eagle gets in this last state, if they don't renew, they will die. At this time, they will choose some area of a mountain range where the sun can shine directly on them, and they will lie on a rock and bathe in the sun. www.hopeinhull.com.

I couldn’t help but to consider our Christian lives when reading about this process in my Bible study. If you have been on this earth for any length of time you completely understand that we each have feathers that weigh us down. The difference between me and an eagle is that I have found myself in the wilderness more times than once. There have been times when I have ‘walked like a turkey’ instead of soaring like an eagle. God didn’t place this comparison in His word without an intentional call to get rid of our weighty feathers. Just as the eagle’s feathers get covered with dirt and oil over time, so do the attitudes of our heart. We cannot fly because of the feather of bitterness and unforgiveness. The feathers of grief keep us weak and distort our vision of a joyful future. Multiple feathers weigh us down with worry…guilt…fear.

There comes a time in every believer’s life when God reminds us that we were meant to soar, but we must lose those feathers that are keeping us in the wilderness. Like the eagle, it is imperative that we choose an area where the Son can shine directly on us…where we lie in quietness before Him…and bathe in His word. We must cling tight to the feathers that will help us return to flight. The feather of gratitude…the feather of faith…the feather of fellowship… the feather of hope. These are the lovelies that God places in our lives to sustain us during the challenging times. These are the feathers that God never meant us to discard. They are the 'good things' that God used to satisfy us while waiting on our flight.

When we have been renewed through the gentle touch of God we will once again have a desire to mount up with new energy, to soar among the heavens, and to enjoy our new perspective. Don’t despise the molting process. It is what moves people from turkeys to eagles!

From Shackles to Crowns

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.” Acts 16:45-26

I love to sing! I don’t just mean sing…I mean sing loudly! I told my daughter the other day that I am confident God has a special crown for Bruce in heaven for having listened to my singing for over 34 years. I sing joyfully, not beautifully but when I worship with my songs during the tough times something beautiful occurs in my heart…in my mind…in my spirit. That something is revival with God...the ultimate Lovely...and it powers my ability to persevere and endure my midnight.

Paul and Silas knew a thing or two about singing and praising God in the darkest times. They were thrown in the deepest and dampest part of the prison shackled with chains. This passage tells us that it was midnight when they began to sing. I’m trying to picture this moment and I have come up with so many questions. Did one of the men awake to the quivering melody of the other one? Which one joined the other in praising God and finding the lovely in their not-so-lovely situation? Were there distant cries from the prisoners that prompted them to sing? Did they pump up the volume in praise when they realized their prison doors had flung open and their chains had come loose? I would give anything to see the smile on God’s face and hear the angels join in praise as they watched from heaven.

These men teach us so much during their incarceration. They teach us that God hears every word of our prayers, and every note we sing in praise. They teach us that when we share our testimonies through word, action or song we bring hope to others who are chained to their circumstances. They teach us that to know God is to love God, and true worship isn’t based on our situation but our God. They display the ultimate ‘finding lovely in God’ despite their midnight hour.

Is this season of life your midnight? Are you chained to a life event that keeps you imprisoned from fully experiencing the lovely things that our Father desires to give? Are you singing while you are waiting for daylight? “Troubles don’t always leave, but their power fades. Because the beauty is too much for it. Looking at Jesus is the remedy for the power of suffering. Looking at Jesus, worshiping Him, puts your eyes on His ability instead of on the cell around you or the chains on your feet. And sometimes, when you’re persevering through the suffering, letting it build your character and bring hope, worship is also the key that unlocks your cell door.” Looking for Lovely, Annie Downs, p. 68.

So, look for lovely in all the right places as you walk on this earth, because one day foundations will crumble, the doors on earth will fling open, and we will exchange our shackles for crowns.

God Knows

“LORD, you have examined me and know all about me.  You know when I sit down and when I get up.  You know my thoughts before I think them.  You know where I go and where I lie down.  You know everything I do.  LORD, even before I say a word, you already know it.  You are all around me – in front and in back – and have put your hand on me.” Psalm 139:1-6

When my sisters and I were young children I’m embarrassed to say that the older ones didn’t always treat the younger ones as we should have.  We would tell them things that weren’t true, and we would do things to them behind their back.  Benay would take it in stride but Beth would lose her mind over the ‘atrocities’ and would begin yelling at us.  Unfortunately, her explosions were probably what we were aiming for.   Her battle cry always ended with ‘Well GOD KNOWS!’ As soon as those words came out of her mouth the fun would dissolve into guilt and the aggravation would end…for that day. 

Today is Beth’s earthly birthday but March 15^th marks the day she joined Jesus and began walking with Him among the saints and angels.  Because of God’s great grace, she celebrates that what she used to know in part is now fully known to her in heaven.  She gets to hear how God knew she loved Him and would turn to Him in her final years.  She gets to see the wink of His eye which reminds her that He did know all those times what her sisters did in secret to aggravate her.  God knew that she would be called to walk the streets of gold before any of us.  God knew that she would be a testament to all while walking with grace through cancer.  He knew that Paul would have the strength to raise Sydney on his own and would do it well.  He knew that Sydney would grow into a beautiful blend of her parents.  God knew then…and He knows now.

He knows every tear we have cried, and He knows every time our hearts have been broken.  He knows how to comfort us and how to bless us.  He knows when we will take our last breath, and He knows every unjust thing done to us.  He knows when your dream will be fulfilled, and He knows in what manner mine will be given to me. 

Today we will celebrate the life of Beth, but we can all celebrate the truth of that beautiful battle cry of which she would remind us…GOD KNOWS!

“For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.  When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.  When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.  For now, we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” 1 Co 13:9-13 

Happy Birthday Beth and you were right…God does know!

Waiting Well

“See how the farmer anticipates the precious fruit of the soil as he patiently awaits the fall and spring rains. You too, be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near…” James 5:7

A few weeks ago, my daughter and grandchildren were with us the week of Spring Break.  Kherington, our youngest grandchild brought a little metal bucket filled with packed dirt. She had planted tiny seeds deep in the soil along with her classmates. They were to nurture and care for the little plant over the break and return to school with the container.  During the week several times a day she would run to the small metal bucket in anticipation of seeing growth. She never stood there more than a few seconds just long enough to look for signs of life. Then she would run off and work on a puzzle for a while or do her gymnastic moves. She fully experienced her spring break at the beach but at the same time continued to watch…to wait…to anticipate...to trust the process.

Annie F Downs, the author of Looking for Lovely wrote extensively about the heart of the farmer. She explains how farmers fully live in the season that is happening. However, they continue to plan for the next season and celebrate the past seasons. I began thinking about my own seasons as it relates to my attitudes. I want to be like Kherington who didn’t miss out on the lovely things around her while waiting on the precious plant to pop through the soil. I want to fully experience the season in which I am experiencing, looking around for all the lovely things God is doing in my life. I want to check in on my dreams for only a few seconds with confidence that God is working and willing His perfect plan. I want to have a strengthened heart, celebrating the past seasons, both good and bad recalling how faithful and present God was. I want to water my unfulfilled dreams with prayers and anticipate the precious fruit that will one day be mature.

So, when the tough times come, we need to remind our hearts to never give up, to keep going, to press on and press in to the One who makes all things grow. I love the prayer Annie offers regarding having a waiting heart.

‘I’ve asked God for a heart that appreciates all the seasons when I can find gratefulness in both the struggle and in the reward. I’ve prayed for a heart that waits well, works hard, and perseveres, happily walking through the door God opens for me.’ Looking for Lovely, p. 49

Our Blessing Jars

“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…where thieves don’t break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:20-21

Years ago, my father-in-law made Bruce a Blessings Jar filled with strips of typewritten memories they had experienced together.  What made this jar so precious is that he did it after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.  I’m not sure if he intentionally wanted to get those memories on paper for fear of losing them, or just wanted to recall special moments.  They are dear to both Bruce and me because I was included in some of the more recent memories.  Years later our daughter Caroline did the same for me and for Bruce and we have spent hours going through these tiny slips of paper.  Some of them are hilarious while others are so precious, but they were all treasures.  A few even have a parenthesis at the bottom with love/hate underneath the memory.

This is one of the best Bible studies I’ve done because it is all about looking for the lovely things in life that God has given us.  It is about the importance of creating our own spiritual blessing jars and adding a slip of paper every day.  True blessing jars will contain things that this world cannot rob from us.  They will be overflowing with treasures directly from the hand of God.  Some of my greatest blessings have come through some of my darkest times.  My blessing jar will have just as many recollections of those hard times as they will the beautiful times.  Everything God sends into our lives has a form of beauty since His heart is motivated by love.  Just like my daughter some of our blessings have been a love/hate memory but God has been faithful throughout all times.

It can be tough looking for lovely in our circumstances sometimes, but we can always find treasures when our eyes are focused on God.  ‘We must learn to look for lovely in God’s promises, in the people He sends us to love and tell about Him, in the ways He asks us to trust Him.  When we truly treasure these things, we will do anything to get them.  What we treasure is displayed in our actions.  When we treasure earthly things, it will be evident by the way we live our lives.’ Looking for Lovely, Annie Downs, p. 47.

I am certain that God is up there placing strips of paper in each of our blessing jars for us to share with Him when we see His face.  I imagine there will be long walks with Him and joyful laughter as we reminisce about the lovelies we found.

Armed with a Mustard Seed

“What is the kingdom of God like, and what can I compare it to? It’s like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the sky nested in it branches.” Luke 13:18-19

Can you even imagine that first farmer who took a chance on a mustard seed? It is the smallest of seeds and grows into the largest of trees. It is why Jesus used it in His parable comparing it to the kingdom of God.

I was considering this today and how it relates to my life and yours. I know that everything relating to God’s kingdom is accessed through our faith. Faith can only grow through trusting God in the tough times. Jesus’ illustration about the mustard seed involves a person sowing it just like a farmer. Digging in the dirt, placing the tiny seed of hope and waiting for the biggest of blessings. But the dream must go in the deep dark dirt. And then just like the farmer, we lean on our shovels…we stand and watch for the results…we experience multiple seasons of rain and sun before it comes to be. God has given each of us a garden of hope in which to sow. Sowing takes time but harvesting seems to take forever. We must fully embrace the truth that growth cannot be seen in the dark of the soil, but only when the proper time has come to harvest.

What is the dream that you have planted deep in your heart that hasn’t seemed to penetrate reality? What is that small hope you have that you are confident leads to big blessings? A new job…a new relationship…a new home…a new beginning? ‘Big doors swing on small hinges” is a quote that the author quoted in my Bible study. ‘A tiny seed, a little idea, a small investment, given time and proper planting, grows into more than you could ever imagine.’ Looking for Lovely, Annie Downs, p 41.

So, plant that seed, dream that dream, and believe that the harvest is on the horizon.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Gal 6:9

The Unwanted Fig Vines

“As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches and pleasures of life, and produce no mature fruit. But the seed in the good ground – these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, produce fruit.” Luke 8:14-15

I am on the Landscape Committee for our community, and I’ve been asked to identify initiatives to enhance the overall look. For many years the lower walls of the buildings have been covered with fig vines. These vines have become overgrown, and the decision was to tear them off the wall. They were snipped at the ground level and were removed. We met with our landscape company’s representative who walked the property with us. He explained that cutting the base of the unwanted vine was just the first step. He said that the ground needed to be tilled since the roots ran deep. Once removed, the soil should be treated, and healthy dirt should be brought in and added. Once the soil became healthy, only then would new growth appear producing beautiful blooms.

This morning in my Bible study this passage reminded me of my meeting with the landscape designer. I only need to look back to 2006 to remember a time when my spiritual life was choked out by the fig vines of the world. Growing up I had heard the message many times, but just like the vine my faith was unattended and neglected. That year the Lord came along and began the process of removing the dead vine which covered my heart. Over the last 12 years the tilling of my heart has continued. Some of it has been heart wrenching while other times it has been liberating. As He tilled up my heart, things were revealed that were stunting my spiritual growth. Roots that ran deep of earthly pleasures and subtle compromises were discovered. Daily He works on my heart preparing the soil making it fertile for future growth. But preparing our soil must be intentional, with willing hearts to be uncomfortable and remade from the inside out.

We are going to hear the message of God’s Word, but it is up to each of us as to how we will receive it, and what we will do with it. ‘We have to be receptive soil to God’s Word, His promises, and who He is. When we plant seeds of Scripture and the loveliness of the character of God continually in our hearts…we will be able to persevere. We will produce fruit…Yet for the sower, the soil is everything.’ Looking for Lovely, Annie Downs, p. 34.

What Was It Like?

"In the beginning, God..." Ge 1:1

Whenever we are at Folly there is a place that I always end up half way through my walk. It is the upper deck at the end of the pier, and over the years it has become a sanctuary like environment. I have prayed for many people up there, I have contributed many of my own tears to the ocean and I have even been prayed over by a homeless man. Usually it is where I sit still, listen to worship music and pray. Yesterday as I sat there listening to music, the singer got to a part in the song when the crowd began wildly cheering and applauding. I asked God what it was like to hear that applause and adoration from Heaven…to see an auditorium of arms raised…praise lifted. I found myself considering other things that God had witnessed from Heaven since the beginning of time.

‘What was it like Lord to see the brilliance of light shatter the darkness for the first time? What was it like Father when you were walking in the garden in the cool of the evening calling out to your first children, Adam and Eve? What was it like to step out of your home of perfection and into a broken world taking on flesh? What was it like to see your Son on His knees in the garden asking you to remove His suffering? What was it like to know it was the very moment where the eyes of your Son opened, and death had lost the battle? I’ll just bet the angels cheered and Heaven was roaring with praise. What was that like?’

I began considering my own ‘what will it be like’ scenarios and my heart began racing. ‘What will it be like God when the decade-long dream of my heart is finally mine to grab onto? What will it be like as I am closing my eyes to this world and opening my eyes to OUR world? What will it be like the first glimpse I catch of my dad in paradise? What will it be like when your face is the first thing I see with my perfect vision.

What will it be like when God gives you the desire of your heart for which you have been praying? What will it be like when you are finally healed? What will it be like when you find that romance for which your heart has been searching...or the broken marriage that has been mended? There are so many wonderful realizations up ahead for each of us because God is a generous and loving God.

God knows what will enter our lives, and the proper time of its arrival. He tells the wind where to go, and the waves when to crash on the shore. Certainly, the God of this powerful orchestration has beautiful things for each of us. So keep dreaming…keep watching…keep praying. God knows exactly what it will be like for all of us because our future is His history.

"But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give good things to people who ask." Matthew 7:11

Anchors Overboard

“Fearing we might run aground on the rocks, we dropped…anchors…and prayed for daylight to come.” Acts 27:29

I so love the Bible and how it records history at the same time it breathes life and truth into our circumstances. This is one of those verses when so many Christian principles can be paralleled to Paul’s accounting of an actual event.

There are times in our lives when each of us has feared running aground…crashing into the rocks. One of the times for me was 17 years ago when I had been steering my own ship loading it down with cargo I had purchased without Bruce’s knowledge. I would sneak things home, hide them in the back of the closet and race to the mailbox day after day to intercept the bills. This journey on the high seas went on for 3 years until I saw the rocks up ahead when God awakened me at 4:00 in the morning. His message was crystal clear…I was to wake Bruce up and tell him the huge amount of debt we were in. I wrestled with God over this for about an hour and eventually unable to breathe I knew God had prevailed. He promised me that night that if I fully trusted Him that we would get through this. And so, I finally dropped anchor, prayed and for the next 6 months waited for daylight to come. God worked in Bruce’s heart to forgive me…to reinvest in our marriage…to trust me. My part was what it always seems to be…to surrender something and allow some accountability to keep it surrendered. It is easy to lay something down, but the challenge is not picking it up again.

This morning I am wondering where are you dropping your anchor? What daylight are you waiting to see? If we are not careful, there are many unhealthy anchors we may drop like I did trying to survive our circumstances. We might drop in one too many bars…we might drop in one too many stores…we might drop anchor in tempting situations knowing it’s dangerous. None of this produces hope. It is only when we drop to our knees and allow God to be our anchor in all storms that hope begins to form in our hearts.

‘So, hope is the prize. Hope is the end goal. Hope is what grows when the garden of grief and suffering is tended. It is something to treasure in my heart – something that when I feel it, I want to notice it. Because hope means that I have survived, I persevered, and my character is stronger because of it.’ Looking for Lovely, Annie Owens, p. 21

Hope ascends when we descend before God, and there is nothing like hope to keep us encouraged…joyful…peaceful until the storms have passed. It helps us see the streams of light in dark times.

“We who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and steadfast.” Hebrews 6:18-10

Targets of Grace

“But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

Whenever we are in Charleston, we attend Seacoast Church where we love to worship God and love the pastors. They are made up of family members who alternate in bringing the Word of God to multi-sites across the region. This past week was different in as much as they had a panel of 4 generations. The grandfather began recalling a time when his baby girl whom he adored began walking in rebellion. He took her to a counselor who informed him that her actions were just normal teenage rebellion. He told her that in his estimate it was abnormal demonic possession! Haven’t we all felt that when our children were walking out the teenage years? But as the laughter died down he recalled a night when they were celebrating her 18th birthday. She was finally on the other side of her rebellion and as she sat across the table tears streamed down her face. She asked her dad would he ever be able to forgive her for that season? He told her that the moment the doctors laid her in his arms 18 years prior, he forgave her for all the sins for which she would commit for the rest of her life.

What a beautiful snapshot of our Father in Heaven. As soon as we gulped our first breath on earth we were taken hostage to sin. But God who had already gone before us by sending Jesus in place of us created the same situation as the pastor's daughter. We were all born under the forgiveness for every sin we would ever commit. It doesn’t matter what we have done or what we will do, as believers born into the family of Christ we are covered…chosen… forgiven.

To the believer who is guilt-ridden for the choices they made, forgive yourself for God already has. To the woman who measures herself against another, lay down the comparisons for God made you unique. For the mom and dad who worry their child isn't saved, lay them down at the Father's feet and allow Him to carry that cause. For the leader who feels the burden of being everything, understand you are the one being led by the true Leader. For the proud find ways to become humble, and for the weak find courage to walk out your God-given purpose.

We have all fallen short of God’s glory, but when Christ took the ultimate fall in death and the beautiful rise in power we became targets of grace from the day we were born. So, let that wash over us this morning and be thankful that the very first birthday gift ever given to us was that unending, ever-present gift of extravagant grace and mercy.

Looking for Lovely

“Not only so, but we also rejoice in our afflictions…” Romans 5:3

This is the point where I am so thankful for commentaries because without them my highlighter would never touch these words. The word ‘rejoice’ is the same original Greek verb phrase of ‘living with our head up high…having a particular vantage point by having the right base of operation to deal successfully with a matter.’

I remember when I was in a helicopter once flying around Charleston. I was in the back seat and after 15 minutes I noticed my stomach began churning and my head began spinning. I took my eyes off the windows and looked down…the nausea set in. I closed my eyes and the nausea became worse. I was asked if I was okay at which point I felt that if I opened my mouth it wouldn’t be to speak. I’m sure in the pilot’s mirror I was as green as I felt. He advised me to open my eyes and find a focal point straight ahead as he flew forward. I lifted my head, chose a steeple in the distance and suddenly my stomach began to settle, and my nausea was relieved. As soon as I took my eyes off the steeple my nausea returned. This went on until the flight was over and the helicopter was on the ground. That was when I 'rejoiced' in the spirit of our English definition!

How many times have we been in a season that made us sick to our stomachs…nauseous of what might be up ahead? How can we walk through a set of circumstances without losing our hope? God has provided each of us ‘the right base of operation to deal successfully with a matter.’ Through His word He has given us ‘a particular vantage point’ on which we should focus to ensure triumph over affliction and victory over heartbreak. When we take our eyes off ‘the Steeple’ we become overwhelmed with the path in which we are called to walk. Our hearts turn to discouragement and loneliness as we hang our heads in defeat. If we can just lift our eyes above our circumstances God will show His faithfulness in the beautiful ways of His heart. A sunrise that reminds us it's a new day...a gentle breeze that whispers God is still in control...a gorgeous sunset that tells the heart we've made it through another day. All representing the 'lovelies of God.'

But Paul was pointing out that if we face our seasons with God-given confidence we will be able to hold our heads up high in suffering. We must keep our eyes on the One who will bring us safely to land. There is no greater gift than ‘finding the lovely’ in our affliction…the beauty in our perseverance. ‘If you’re going to finish the brave/challenging/hard thing that God has called you to do, you have to look for the lovely moments. But you also have to decide persevering and finishing are worth it…your belief that persevering matters.’ Finding the Lovely, Annie F Downs, p. 10.

God is not a quick fix but He is a fantastic Finisher! Keep your eyes on the Steeple!

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

Choosing Joy

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4

This passage used to seem more like a fairy tale than verses in the Bible to me. Who on earth can consider the multiple trials in which we have all experienced ‘pure joy’? Before we roll our eyes and skip over this passage let me share with you the most complete definition I have ever read defining joy. Years ago, I read Kay Warren’s book called Choosing Joy, Because Happiness isn’t Enough. Her definition of joy is ‘the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be all right, and the determined choice to praise God in all things.’ And that is the core of joy – choosing it despite our circumstances.

Joy is the overflow of spiritual maturity and completion once we really embrace God's track record. Joy is cumulative and progressive as God proves Himself faithful in all seasons. Joy runs the race to the very end, while happiness constantly searches for another path. We are certainly going to face trials until we step into Heaven so why wouldn’t we choose joy understanding that our trials are not empty. Why wouldn’t we step into maturity and move towards completion in God? What does it look like when are living a life lacking nothing? It looks like the woman who despite her broken relationship fully understands that God is still in control of every detail. It is the man who has God’s assurance that provision will be there to carry him through the lean times. It is the parent that continues to praise God even while awaiting the prodigal to return…a settled assurance… a quiet confidence…a determined choice to praise God through it all.

Seasons come, and seasons go, and they are strung together with both beautiful days and heart wrenching moments. Most times we cannot control the hardships that crash into our lives, but we can walk through them with joy…pure joy as the author described. God promises that we will have everything we need to face any trial. In Him we will lack nothing, so with that truth we can take comfort and choose joy!

Revisiting Bethel

“God said to Jacob, ‘Get up! Go to Bethel and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau’... ‘We must get up and go. I will build an altar there to the God who answered me in my day of distress. He has been with me everywhere I have gone.’” Ge 35:1-3

The message continues from yesterday…we must consider where we have been before God shows us where He is taking us. Jacob, his wives and their children had settled in a land of foreign gods after leaving Laban’s land. They compromised their devotion to God by settling in a region that wasn’t God’s will for them. He intended for them to pass through the land, not intermingling and setting up life with its inhabitants. Finally, God said that enough was enough instructing them to gather their things and return to the original place where God had first revealed Himself to Jacob. He wanted Jacob to revisit the place where God’s mercy met his despair. It would only be once they returned to that holy spot that God would show Jacob his future inheritance.

Sometimes the very thing God wants us to do is the very thing we resist the most. Who on earth wants to revisit a time when our deepest despair was our companion? I have a place that immediately comes to mind where God ministered to me in one of my most heart wrenching times. It was my Bethel and I think about it every time I pass by that place. I don’t think on it for long because it still symbolizes a time when I felt most alone…when I could count on my fingers those who surrounded me in love and support. God showed me amazing things that have liberated me from lifelong attitudes that no longer benefit me. He began reshaping my heart and rebuilding my focus. He revealed Himself daily to me as I traveled through that season. I am in a great place now but realize the importance of ‘recalling my Bethel’ to fully grasp how far God has brought me. He is still showing me wonderful things for my future while continuing to work on my heart. Like Jacob, God couldn’t show me the beautiful things He had for me until my heart had been reworked. Like Jacob, God has been with me everywhere I have gone since that day of deep despair.

Where does this leave us? It leaves us with the truth that sometimes the answer to our prayers is ‘down the road’ once we’ve allowed God to transform our heart. It leaves us with the choice to believe in God’s best if we keep moving instead of settling in the land of bitterness…despair…discontent. Once we ‘get up and get going’ it can propel the power of God to move mountains, heal hearts, and resurrect dead dreams. I am sure all of you have your Bethels where your greatest despair met God's unwavering love and faithfulness. Those are the things worth recalling. Those are the times of God's best intersecting our worst. Keep your eyes on God because you have no idea the beautiful plans He has for your life. So get up...get going...and build those altars!

The Devil Made Me Do It

“As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, "What you are about to do, do quickly." John 13:24

Over the weekend I read a commentary about this passage. It was very interesting and enlightening when considering going through our tough seasons. It reminded me of the time when I was heavily involved with my father-in-law and mother-in-law during his illness. Beth had just been put in Hospice, Bruce had just had knee replacement, and my dad had just found out that his cancer had spread. I was already emotionally and physically stretched to the max. But on Super Bowl Sunday I got a call from my daughter who I could barely understand. She was sobbing uncontrollably and finally was able to tell us that her former boyfriend was killed in a motorcycle accident. They were making plans to reconcile. I remember feeling devastated but mostly questioning God as to why so much tragedy was happening in a small period-of-time.

This commentary made me think of that time because it stated that Satan knew Jesus was going to fulfill God’s will. He also had heard the prophesies no doubt and knew that the time was upon him. He knew that the victory of Christ would mean the inevitable destruction of evil, sin and death one day. He knew his time would be over one day, so all he could do was to make the event as messy, brutal and heartbreaking for Jesus as possible. To hurt Him would hurt the heart of God. Not only was he working through the leaders of the time, but he chose one of Jesus’ closest friends, Judas to betray Him. Through the taunting of fear Peter was left denying Jesus three times. Satan’s temporary effectiveness only lasted until the tomb was vacated!

Satan cannot take our soul as believers, but he can make our circumstances messy and heartbreaking for sure. He can encourage people to betray and reject us. He laughs in the face of someone abandoning us. It is the very reason we need to follow the example of Jesus. Satan’s fiery darts are temporary while God’s armor is permanent. When we walk through life trying to fend off the challenges we must remind ourselves that God is in total control. Jesus never allowed Satan to gain a foothold in His circumstances and neither can we. We must pray every day, constantly meditate on His word and surround ourselves with the community of Christ. Satan knows his time is short so as the Body let’s frustrate, irritate and make things as messy as possible by displaying love, forgiveness, mercy and grace.